


Portraits and Plush Toys

by StariWolfe



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: During Stormblood, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, My First Work in This Fandom, Pre-Relationship, pls be nice, the bois may be ooc but i was having fun so eat the lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26558293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StariWolfe/pseuds/StariWolfe
Summary: Estinien decides to investigate his dear friend's apartment and he finds some...interesting items there.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light, Warrior of Light/Estinien Wyrmblood
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Portraits and Plush Toys

**Author's Note:**

> wooo first work in FFXIV! This takes place during Stormblood (as my friend who is Lemon's creator hasn't finished the game yet) and beyond that I don't have an exact time
> 
> Lemon belongs to my friend Ali, and Vesper is my character!

Estinien figured that the last thing Lemon was expecting to see in her apartment was him.

He’d climbed through her window on a whim that day, curious to see where she lived. After her departure from Ishgard, she didn’t stay at the Fortemps manor often anymore, unless she was visiting. He’d known she was assisting in the Ala Mhigan Liberation effort, but he’d heard from the grapevine that she was often seen coming to and from the apartment building in Mist. He’d taken it upon himself afterward to come and make sure her living conditions were acceptable and to see _how _in Eorzea she had so much food on hand at all times.__

__And it was _not _because he was fond of the Au Ra. Not at all.___ _

____So he’d jumped his way up to her window after finding out which one it was and, after messing with it for a moment, opened it and rolled inside. He was pleased to find that she kept her apartment fairly tidy, with a bath on the right side of the window (he felt like she’d poke fun at him and tell him to bathe if she were here) and a bed on the-_ _ _ _

____Wait a moment._ _ _ _

____Was that...a plush of him on her nightstand? The dragoon stepped closer. It was! It was a small version of him in toy form, complete with a toy spear. He stared at it a moment longer before poking it gently, hoping that it didn’t make any noise. It stayed quiet, thankfully, but he did note that it was very soft. Why in Halone’s name did she have this?_ _ _ _

____He took a moment to compose himself before moving on to the rest of the apartment. He stepped past the walls that divided the bedroom area from the living area, taking in a kitchen to his left. He lept over the counter and began his snooping._ _ _ _

____When he opened the refrigerator he was stunned at what it held. An incredible amount of foods ranging from steak to chocolate were inside. How did it all fit? He took note of beet stew, ratatouille, mutton stew, bubble chocolate, Ishgardian tea, pastry fish, and grilled trout. He scowled a bit. Now he knew where Vesper got all of her seafood: Lemon must have ‘prawned’ it off on her. He scowled even more. He never used puns. Vesper must be wearing off on him._ _ _ _

____His scowl slowly turned into a shite-eating grin. Lemon had so much food; she wouldn’t mind if a dear friend of hers took a couple of chocolates for the road, would she? He doubted she would even notice. He looked around the small kitchen to put it in, hopefully something easily replaceable, but he had no luck. He turned his attention back to the fireplace; maybe there was something-_ _ _ _

____He stopped again._ _ _ _

____Why was there a _portrait _of him in her apartment!? Looking again, he noticed a portrait of Haurchefant as well, hung above the fireplace. But that made sense. Why and how did she get one of him?___ _ _ _

______He decided he couldn’t just leave after this. He needed answers. He grabbed a book off of her bookshelf (some strange book about a Roegadyn falling in love with a goblin. Why did she have _this _?) and sat in on top of the kitchen counter, facing the door. She had to come back sometime.___ _ _ _ _ _

________He was about a quarter of the way through the book (it made his eyes water in disgust but there was nothing else to do while waiting) when he heard the door unlock. He peered over the cover of the book to see Lemon enter, seemingly so tired she didn’t even notice him on her counter. He let her take a quick moment to herself before speaking._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Welcome back.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He realized his mistake as she sprang to life and readied herself to throw her giant axe. Her eyes lit up in recognition at the last second as she threw her axe further to the side than she originally intended. He tilted his head slightly, just in case, as the axe buried itself in the wall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Nice shot, but try not to aim for me next time.” He watched as she composed herself; she was clearly not expecting a visitor to be waiting for her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Estinien! What are you doing here!? How did you-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Window. I jumped.” He stated, anticipating her next sentence. He nodded his head in the direction of the still open window and watched as she began to comprehend._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I see. You realize I can just give you a key, right? And that doesn’t answer the question of why you’re here!” She jabbed a finger at him, her other hand on her hip._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Curiosity. And I was hungry-figured you’d have food since you always do.” He tried remaining nonchalant about it. As curious as he was about the portrait and plush toy, he also didn’t want to alarm her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He also wanted to see her reaction. It was always fun to tease her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Curiosity, you say?” The Au Ra tilted her head in slight confusion. “What exactly were you curious about? You could’ve just asked me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It’s more fun to find out for myself. Originally I was curious about your living space; you don’t stay at the Fortemps Manor much anymore. But now,” he paused, turning the gaze to the portrait. “...I’m curious about why you have _that _. And the plush toy near your bed.” He turned back to her, waiting for a response.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Lemon immediately turned as red as a tomato, and he could almost swear he saw steam coming from her ears (horns? He had no idea how Au Ra anatomy worked). He could tell the gears were turning in her brain, trying to figure out how to explain why she had two inanimate depictions of her very close friend._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“W-Well, you see...it’s um, like this…” He raised an eyebrow at her. This was going to be good. If nothing else, he’d have fuel to tease her with for a while._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She finally sighed and turned her eyes to the floor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well, it’s...comforting.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He was certainly not expecting that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Comforting? How so?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Well, you aren’t around as often anymore, and even if you’re in Ishgard, I’m helping the Resistance in Ala Mhigo, so I don’t see you much. And I worry about you and I don’t feel quite as safe without you around, so these,” she gestured to the portrait to her left and towards the bedroom where her plush was, “are to help me feel a bit safer and to send my good wishes your way when I don’t see you. If, uh, if that makes sense.” She still didn’t meet his gaze._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Estinien honestly didn’t know how to react to this. He’d originally thought that maybe someone had gifted it to her as a joke; he wasn’t expecting her answer to be so… _genuine _. He lifted himself off of the counter and strode over to her. He proceeded to place a hand on her head and give her hair a ruffle.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You realize you could try to use your linkpearl, correct? You don’t have to have my eyes gaze down at you from a painting.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I HAVE tried! I can’t get a hold of you! And even then,” She paused, looking up at him indignantly, “I’d rather you be nearby physically and you can’t always do that! So I keep around the plush toy for when I need a hug or something.” She looked away from him again, crossing her arms. And was she...pouting a bit? He couldn’t help but smile; loathe as he was to admit it, she was adorable._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Oh, you wanted a hug? I can arrange that.” He said, which was an absolute lie. He grabbed her in a headlock and began rubbing her hair with his knuckles. She yelped in surprise before she started laughing, putting her hands on his arms and struggling, trying to escape._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“This is NOT the kind of hug I wanted! _Estinien _!” He could barely hear her through her laughter. He’d never admit it out loud, but he missed this kind of messing around with their small group of friends. He held onto her for a couple of moments longer before releasing her, watching with a shite-eating grin as she straightened her hair out.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I’ll try and pay attention to my linkpearl more for you. Try not to feel too lonely, alright?” As she nodded, wiping tears from her eyes, another thought occurred to him. “By the way, how did you get your hands on these, anyway?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Oh, Vesper and Aymeric got them for me!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________...what._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Excuse me?” He crossed his arms. That explains a few things._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Well, I mentioned to them that I missed you, and they got them for me. Wasn’t that sweet of them?” She sounded so happy for a moment, and then it seemed like she realized what she just said. “Oh...I shouldn’t have said that.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“No, no, I’m glad you told me. Incidentally,” he uncrossed his arms, trying to look a little less threatening, “do you happen to know where our dear friend Vesper is at the moment?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Uh, funny thing about that. She uh,” she walked back towards the door, closing it a little. As she closed it, Estinien saw a blue blur run past. “...she just left.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He looked to the door, looked back at Lemon, and raised an eyebrow. Lemon heaved a sigh of resignation._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“You’ll probably find her in Ishgard. Don’t know where, though, and you didn’t hear it from me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“That’s all I need. I’ll talk to you later, Lem. By the way, I took some stuff from your pantry, hope you don’t mind.” With that, he ran to the window and threw himself out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Lemon covered her face in her hand, absolutely mortified at what he’d found out. She went to check her pantry to see what he’d swiped and found that he’d taken one of everything. That man was going to be the death of her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“AYMERIC!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________The lord commander sighed as Estinien stormed into his office. Such visits were rare, and he had an idea of what this was about._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Hello to you too, my friend. What brings you here in such a sunny mood?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“You know damn well what, don’t you? I just got back from Lemon’s and I found she had a _stunningly _crafted portrait and plush toy of me, and you know where she said she got it?” He leaned further onto Aymeric’s desk, looking him in the eye. When the commander didn’t respond, he continued. “Where’s your lady love? I’ve a bone to pick with her!”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Aymeric couldn’t help but sputter a moment. “Wha-lady love? Estinien, you know full well that Vesper and I-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Save it, everyone thinks you two are together. Now, where is she?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“If you must know, I’ve not seen her in a few days. She may be helping with the Resistance. I’ve not even heard from her recently.” He put a hand to his chin in contemplation. Vesper was notoriously hard to follow, as she rarely left any tracks. A thought popped into his head as he was thinking. “Speaking of lady loves, what were you doing at Lemon’s home? That seems a bit suspicious if you ask me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________It was Estinien’s turn to be caught by surprise. “Why you-I was raiding her pantry since she always has so much food!” Aymeric was trying desperately not to laugh as Estinien turned beet red. “Seven hells, do you know where Vesper is or not?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I don’t. And all I know of the portrait was that Vesper asked me to commission it. I had no idea as to what she was using it for.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Estinien ran a hand over his face, clearly exasperated at this turn of events. “Well, if you see her, tell her I’ve got some words for her. And to bring her fighting gear.” He must have seen Aymeric’s look of alarm because he quickly amended his previous statement. “ _Sparring _gear, I don’t mean to harm her.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Good. I think most of Eorzea would be out for your head if you did. Good luck with your search, my friend.” Estinien gave him a quick nod before leaving the way he came, waving a hand in farewell._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Once he was out of the office and presumably well away from the building, Aymeric listened as sounds began to come from the wardrobe in the corner of the room. He turned his head towards the furniture in question as the door opened and Vesper tumbled out, slightly disheveled from her time in hiding._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Have I ever told you how lovely it is for you to have a conveniently me-sized wardrobe in yer office, mate?” She stood up and straightened her clothes, trying to make herself presentable. Not that she’d be leaving soon, Aymeric figured. She’d stay holed up here a while longer so Estinien lost her trail._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“You’ve not. I take it you heard all that?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Aye, I did.” She laughed heartily. “That has to be one of the best reactions I’ve ever heard.” She started stretching, most likely to loosen the muscles after being cramped in the wardrobe for over thirty minutes. The second she learned Estinien was coming after her, she hightailed it to Ishgard and climbed through Aymeric’s office window (to Aymeric’s lack of surprise) and asked to take refuge in his closet. And who would he be to not offer a friend like her his assistance when she needed it?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“It might be time to roll back with the pranks a bit, my friend. I fear he’ll actually come for your head one day.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Let him try. I kicked his arse twice before, remember? Besides, he has to catch me first, and that’s hard enough as is.” She walked around to the front of his desk and sat down on the edge of it, leaning back on her hands. Aymeric couldn’t help but sigh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“You and your antics will be the death of me, you realize that, yes?” He locked eyes with her in what he’d hoped was a stern glare, but based on her expression she wasn’t taking it seriously._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Oh, you love me.” More than you know, he thought. “My stories and songs keep you entertained while you’re doing Alliance things. Without my antics and adventurous stories of being a Warrior of Light, where would you be?” She fixed him with a triumphant look, and he couldn’t help but smile softly in response._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I’d not be as happy and much less entertained.” She made an indignant noise as he said entertained, but he pretended not to notice. “Now that the immediate threat to your health has gone, what do you plan to do now, my friend?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Hm…” She crossed her arms as she thought, and fiddled slightly with the bandana that covered her left eye. “The first place he’d look for me is Fortemps Manor, so not there. It might just be best for me to stay here ‘til ‘tis safe enough to teleport back to my apartment, if that’s alright with you, of course.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“That’s alright with me. Stay as long as you like, of course.” Vesper smiled at him, setting his heart a-flutter, and hopped off the desk to go and grab a book off the shelf to read. He couldn’t help but smile as he returned to his documents. Life would be much less interesting if Lemon and Vesper weren’t present in it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
